Silent Observer 2 His God
by Underwater Owl
Summary: Sequel to... batman. No, what do you think? Silent observer 1. Carrying the plot on through till the end of the film and a bit on. Rating's gone up because of the whole blowing creatures up stuff. Abe decides he's had enough of silence.
1. 1 Posion

**Silent Observer**

**His God**

A note to all my lovely reviewers-

Adiva Calandia- oh my dear, but Abe IS involved in the second half of the movie. The script writes just don't know it! Mwahahaha! And I'm glad you noticed the present tense stuff. It's hard to keep up with.  
Ms Cranky- posting! Posting! Hehe. But I really need a beta (hints anyone reading this...)

Tess LaCalme- I don't know if I'm going to write in Marina. I've made this story mostly philosophy stuff, and I don't want to kill it by dragging it out too long.

epalladino- truthfully I hadn't really gone into the Hellboy age debate, but remember- if Hellboy looked five in the flashback, than how old was he actually (reverse dog years...)?

Cassiopeia1979 It's great to know that someone who's work I like read and enjoyed this, and cared enough to review THREE TIMES (smiles and bubbles to self) should I write in Marina? Am I treading in the murky mud of other characters? And I'm glad you saw my perspective on the whole human rights thing.

Email me at skcelmwood.on.ca if you want to beta for me.

Disclaimer- I don't want to write this. I really don't. I don't own anything. Sniffle. Even the music, which is from the Rolling Stones and the Beetles.

**Chapter 1**

**Poison**

I have vengeance in my heart.

I can feel it around me like an aura, tinting my power and sending it skewed. It's like a sort of splinter in my mind, itching, grating...

I finish a side of my rubix cube. Four sides in three decades, getting better. Still sort of pathetic, but logic has never been my strong suit.

Yes, but Rasputin lives.

My music playing quietly has changed songs.

_I said_

_Hey, you get off of my cloud_

_Hey, HEY, you, YOU, get off of my cloud._

_Hey, HEY, you, YOU, get off of my cloud._

_Don't hang around all through the crowd._

Yes, but Rasputin lives.

Hellboy is going to Moscow.

Yes, but Rasputin lives.

There's a new group of freaks at the agency.

Yes but Rasputin lives.

It's a poison. I feel and see his sickly green energy, lighting him up like a beacon. He uses his magic so flamboyantly that I can sense him even from here, the other side of the word, polluting the world with his toxic energy. There aren't more than a dozen people in the world above yellow. Those of us who are have learned to shield our power to be discreet. With a single thought I can see him. I have to constantly guard myself to keep myself from slipping away, watching the world around him. Sighing, I look at the clock on the wall opposite my tank. Hellboy and the others will be landing now. They are going to find Rasputin, and they will kill him, not me. I will wait here, occasionally flicking over to observe the course of events.

I still experiment with my powers. That's all there is for me to do, really, here, this place that is not in Moscow. I type my emails, speaking to old friends and connections, trying to learn more. I listen to my music, alone, feeling useless.

_Lovely Rita Meter Maid,_

_Lovely Rita Meter Maid_

_Lovely Rita, Meter Maid, nothing can come between us_

_When it gets dark I tow your heart away..._

I have had enough of this. The Beetles were not meant to be played by people who are waiting. It seems insanely bubbly. How can anyone ever be that happy? John, Paul, George, Ringo, you have obviously never been in my shoes. Not that I actually wear shoes. Oh, I'm rambling to myself. This is absolutely irritating.

I don't really have anyone to talk to. Hellboy's gone; Liz and Myers too. Myers is frightened of me anyhow. He still feels that he is not worthy of anything or anyone in general, and he feels that I will see that in him. I believe that he, despite his doubts, has every right to be here. He is pure of heart, I laugh, remembering the look on his face that night in the library; solid, dependable, intelligent... everything Professor Broom would have wanted him to be. My only worry is that when he learns that Liz really loves Hellboy, he'll not be able to move past it.

He knows it on a conscious level, but he's still falling for her. He doesn't really love her, though. He is in love with an image. Father is dead.

I don't know if Hellboy ever knew his father's real name. He never told anyone, it was too hard to say. It was also German, and for a man who weathered world war two, that was much more important than most people realize. Gods, I miss him so much. It's like you don't know you have to breathe till you can't. You never realize how much you depend on it till it's gone.

And Rasputin lives.

How is has this one man caused so much pain? His past is riddled with deaths, his life's work is to bring about the apocalypse. What can he possibly gain from this?

He has a god inside him. A God that is boosting his power level. If this creature hadn't entered him, his power would never have come.

How did he find this God, this creature of resurrection?

I'll research it. Something useful to do.

I squash the malicious 'the only thing you're good for' and I get to work.


	2. 2 Leading

**Chapter 2**

**Leading**

I swivel my shoulders, minding the wires around me, and face my laptop. Using my telekinesis (which I am quite proficient with, I pull up the screen, and begin moving the cursor.

I have received two emails, a piece of junk, and something from Manning.

I read the brief note, and my eyes widen.

_Dear Mr. Sapien,_

_I am pleased to offer you the position of the head of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense..._

They want me to take over the BPRD. I don't really know what to do. I don't know what Professor Broom would want me to do. The letter is vaguely frightening. It tells me- 'you take over now, or we're brining someone else in, and you know Hellboy will flatten them.' Manning knows Hellboy a little better than any of us thought, I guess. I don't reply. Let Manning think I haven't received the mail. When I make up my mind I'll tell him. I want him to think that I can make split second decisions. Indecision, it's one more weakness that no one needs to know about.

_I am suddenly in the library. Professor Broom is in front of me. He hands me a new book._

_Paranormal Phenomenon through the Ages,_

_The next few days_

_The History of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense_

_Paranormal Pop; a History of 'Unique' Artists who used their powers to influence their music_

_Saints- from Myth to Reality_

_And so on..._

_Finally, I joke to Professor Broom_

"_I am going to know more about this than you do, Professor."_

_He smiles, and I catch his thoughts._

'_That's the idea'_

_And he leaves._

He was planning for this? He wanted me to be the new head? He certainly gave me enough information, up to and including several books he had written as a young man. He had always given me more responsibility. At the beginning I thought he was setting me up for failure. Then I believed that he felt sorry for me. Towards the end, I began to realize that he was giving me exactly what I needed to challenge myself, to feel important. It was a responsibility he thought I could handle.

And I couldn't. I failed, I let Sammael catch me, and now I'm trapped here in this glass jar. I failed Professor Broom.

If I failed him in something as simple as a mission, then how could I ever be the director? I'm not a great man; in fact, I'm not even a man, really.

I feel like an over rated gold fish.

Yes, but Rasputin lives.


	3. 3 Rararesearch

**Chapter 3**

**Ra-Ra-Research**

_I look up; suddenly I am in a cave. Rasputin stands before a huge altar. I can see chains in the center of the room, obviously designed for Hellboy. Rasputin doesn't even turn around. _

"_Ah, you're back. There is no need for worry. There is no way you can change the outcome of this. The events are already in motion. Kroenen even now is preparing to bring the child to me. He will overpower him and kill his companions."_

_I laugh softly to myself at the man's cockiness. I walk up to him and grabbed him by his arm._

'_Kroenen' I think with all my strength, and suddenly we are there._

_Rasputin gasps and turns to me._

"_You should not have the power to do that. You are no red!"_

_I laughed again. It still shocks me how this supposed mastermind can be such a fool._

"_Who told you I was red?"_

_Rasputin waved me aside. "Whatever colour you may be, the Ogdru-Jihad will crush you."_

_Org-what?_

_I used my power to project a yellowish orange flame. I'm actually much more powerful, a deep indigo, but I still don't like people to know my limits, it's always safer this way._

_Rasputin smirked. He was fooled. In the spectrum of colors green was higher than orange, but much lower than indigo. Fool._

_I watched, sitting quietly on a table as Kroenen fought Hellboy. Hellboy crushed him, of course._

_Rasputin watches Hellboy throw a gigantic cog onto Kroenen's pinned body, and gives a strangled cry. With a pop he disappears, and I laugh again._

_Hellboy looks up, hearing a ghostly sound. Manning throws a few cogs onto Kroenen, a gesture of victory. This is the man who wants me to take over the bureau. This paunchy bureaucrat wants me to have a position of power. His letter to me reeks of distaste, and I know that it wasn't his decision. What was it, popularity? No, of course not. Professor Broom? Hellboy turns to Manning, and I see him losing the sound of my laughter, dismissing it as an echo. His power must be improving._

_I leave._

I opened my eyes again and began to type. I was researching. I customarily use Google, it's straightforward, and the results are generally what I have in mind. It's a trick of asking the right questions.

Google search-

Rasputin 1;

Rasputin was the occult advisor to the Russian tsar and tsarina. He was the doctor for the heir, the oldest son, a hemophiliac, and one of the reasons the people hated the tsarina.

Interesting, of course, but not very helpful.

Rasputin 2;

Rasputin was the head of an order of monks who believed that the true path to heaven was through sin. He and his monks held various...

Again, more of the same useless information.

Rasputin 3;

Rasputin

Boney M.

Produced by Frank Farian

There was an audio button so I clicked it.

Almost immediately disco music cued in.

_Hey, hey hey..._

_There was a certain man, in Russia long ago_

_He was big and strong in his eyes a flaming glow_

_Most people saw him with terror and with fear_

_But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear_

_He preached the bible like a preacher_

_Full of ecstasy and fire_

_But he also was the kind of teacher_

_Women would desire_

_Ra-Ra-Rasputin lover of the Russian queen_

_Lad de da de da_

_Ra-Ra-Rasputin Russia's famous love machine..._

At this I laugh so hard I skew my vital signs, and a nurse comes running, thinking I am losing blood. I wave her away, and close my eyes.

My chest is twinging; the stretching of the still tender scar material is now being paid for.

So researching that on the Internet had proved to be a bust.

I try to remember the name of what Rasputin had mentioned, the orgu whatsit. I try all the spellings of the word I could come up with, finding junk, junk, more junk, and a commercial for the latest Dune novel, which I bookmarked, to be researched at a later date. Finally I try the spelling- the Ogdru-Jihad

I find one site. I was a prophecy thing, some conspiracy nut or other.

_In the coldest regions of space..._

No one can hear you scream, I interrupt my reading, speaking in a dramatic voice. Sighing to myself, I continue.

_In the coldest regions of space, the monstrous entities of the Ogdru-Jihad- the seven gods of chaos- slumber in their crystal prison, waiting to reclaim earth and... burn the heavens._

The seven gods of chaos?

That can't be all that good. I close my eyes and get a vague image.

_A large crystalline form is floating at a starry back ground. The night rips opens, and a small light flies in. It crashes against the structure, and an eye, slitted and yellow, opens inside the crystal._

I blink again. How did I get that image? Now I know what the crystal prison is. The next question is, now that they're awake, obviously, how are they going to get to earth.

And who woke them up. Three guesses. Rasputin, BINGO! And you have won an apocalypse.

I cross search this with Rasputin, and find a prophecy he made.

_And I looked and I beheld an Angel, and in his right hand the key to the bottomless pit._

His right hand?

Hellboy: It has to be. The coincidence is impossible.

Hellboy is the key to the bottomless pit, the place where the Ogdru-Jihad are imprisoned.

The seven gods of chaos.

But the god that lives in Rasputin? Is that another god, one of the seven, or was it the eighth, that 'left before they became famous'?

A puzzle, to be sure; I know this now, of course, with no way of telling them. Suddenly, on a whim, I research the great believers in the Ogdru-Jihad. Among them is, not surprisingly, Karl Ruprecht Kroenen. The man Hellboy crushed just a few minutes ago.

An- can I start a review vote as to whether or not I should include a third piece, which will include the fabled Marina Sapiens? Oh, and the coldest region of space joke is from my brother Js,or. (that's our code. Don't laugh.) it comes from the trailer for Alien.


	4. 4 The Key

**Chapter 4**

**The Key**

Hellboy?

_Hellboy is chained up in the center of the room. Liz is passed out on the altar, wearing only a gold sheet. _

_Myers is chained to the wall. He too is unconscious. Rasputin turns to me._

_I smirk and speak. "Oh Rasputin, I've changed my mind about you not being remembered. You are definitely going to be sung about for generations... I've done my research."_

_He ignores this, and turned to me._

"_I didn't do research, you did it for me."_

_Megalomaniac likes to hear the sound of his own voice._

"_I've taken your advice and used the child's family."_

_I tried not to let my dismay show._

_Liz, I'll do everything I can for you. I only hope it's enough._

_I went to stand next to Liz, making a show of trying to wake her. Rasputin ignored me. I could see Myers was up. _

_Hellboy struggled against his chains. He should have been strong enough to break them, there must be some incantation._

"_And I looked and beheld an angel, and in his right hand the key to the bottomless pit. "_

_I stayed silent, trying to think of a plan. Anything. All I got was the lyrics to 'Ruby Tuesday' floating in confused circles._

_The blonde woman spoke up. She couldn't see me, and it was obvious from the amount of make up she was wearing why Rasputin kept her hanging around. _

"_You are the key, the right hand of doom"_

_I walk up to the gateway and examine it._

_Engraved into it are two deep circles, and a small glyph. It is asymmetrical; one side has a small hand, while the right weights it down, a stylized key shape. It also includes a slinking, demonic tail. It's painfully obvious what it's saying._

"_Your stone hand, what did you think it was for?"_

_We all look at Hellboy's hand. He rotates his three fingers, and rubs his thumb, obviously trying to come to terms with the idea._

_I decide that now is the time to act._

_Slipping my hand gently into Liz's, I pull her out of her body. Her spirit sits up, leaving her skin behind. I put my hand over her mouth, and draw her behind a pillar._

_I whisper to her-_

"_Wait here, don't let Rasputin see you, no matter what happens. If you do, you, Hellboy and Myers will die."_

_I walked back, to stand next to Liz's body, making a show of checking her pulse, and shaking her shoulders nervously._

_Rasputin turns a second later, bends over her, and tried to forcibly rip her soul from her body. I throw little spurts of orange fire at him, distracting him, and subtly send a small amount of my own energy into Liz. He swallows it, thinking it is her soul, wanting to believe he has succeeded. It isn't very difficult to convince someone of something they know to be true. He doesn't even notice the color was blue, not Liz's burgundy red. _

_Rasputin now believes that Liz is at his mercy. Unfortunately so does Hellboy. I realize my mistake._

_He's going to open the gate._

_I try to tell him, and I end op physically placing myself in front of the key. His hand passes straight through me._

_In the end, it is Myers who forces Hellboy to remember. He throws him the cross, which belonged to father. _

_I run to it, and use my powers to guide its path, straight into Hellboy's hand. Myers, I hope this works._

_Hellboy pulls his horns off his head. Rasputin yells, and is stabbed by his horn._

_Hellboy pick's up Liz's body and starts to leave._

"_You will never understand the power inside you."_

"_I'll just have to find a way to live with that."_

_Rasputin watches the god rip its way out of his stomach. Hellboy almost doesn't see. Rasputin actually calls him back, forcing him to look._

_Hellboy, cocky as ever, leaves._

_I look at the godling. This creature will be powerful. I can see it growing in front of me. Rasputin turns to me, and screams his remaining energy out of his mouth, a last gesture of anger, enough to fatally wound someone of an orange power._

_This takes me by surprise. It collides with my chest, sending me crashing with a snap back to the lab._

I open my eyes and sigh.

My chest hurts horribly. I can see the monitor saying that I'm getting worse. No more telepathy for me, today.

So it's up to Hellboy, Myers and Liz...

LIZ.

Her soul is still out of her body, and without a proper guide there's no telling...

Take me to the GOD.

_I open my eyes. I ooze my way across the floor, blinking in confusion. A bit of dust falls into my sixth eye, and I blink it out. I can feel myself growing, and I look down and see the tentacles spewing away from my torso._

_I am in the God._

_I feel myself growing at an exponential rate, and I cast around the room for Liz's soul. I see her lying in a corner, unconscious. From my height, now well over ten meters, I look down and see Rasputin sprawled on the floor, against the pillar. I use my telepathy to send him one last message._

"_You breathe in vain"_

_I used my tentacles to wipe him off the face of the earth._

_Hellboy returns, and I make a show of trying to attack him, finally throwing him into my mouth grenade belt and all._

_I leave the body just as I feel the first heat._

_It explodes, sending my regular self crashing through the air. I hit the ground running, and I stoop to pick up Liz, bringing her down the hall after Hellboy._

_He picks up her body, propping her up. I can see Myers over his shoulder, looking worried._

_I slide Liz's soul back into her body, but it isn't enough._

_Hellboy murmurs some incantation and I feel the barriers weaken._

_Using the little remaining strength I have left, I push with everything I have. Liz's soul snaps back like an elastic band and I collapse. I barely have the energy to make it home. _

AN- I would be pleased to mail out the ra-ra-rasputin song to anyone. And I need a beta! My email was messed up in the first chapter. It's actually skcelmwood.on.ca so please, pretty please? I feel like the quality of my writing is slipping a lot. Thanks for reading. Oh, and the energy in the movie is actually blue.


	5. 5 Useless

**Chapter 5**

**Useless**

When I open my eyes I feel like I have been hit by a truck. My chest aches more than ever, I think that's from when Rasputin hit me with his last energy. The tank around me is deep blue, and it takes me a few minutes to realize that it's blood.

The nurse hears my calling and comes in. Her eyes widen and she slams a button on the wall. I hear emergency doctors running in, and I finally black out.

When I wake up, I'm alone again. There are even more bandages on my chest, and I feel terrible.

I lie back in my tank and breathe shallowly. They're all alright. Hellboy, Liz, Myers... They're fine. Liz will wake up, using Hellboy's energy. Myers cuts weren't that bad. He won't be in trouble. Liz will recover. They're all fine.

_No, they're not fine. Liz almost died. I almost killed her, leaving her like that. How could I have been so stupid? Jesus Christ... Hellboy managed to save her, thank god. I almost got her killed._

That's not true... I saved her life from Rasputin!

_No, I didn't. Hellboy got her back from the dead, not me._

But Rasputin would have eaten her soul!

_And Myers is hurt, badly; you sat here in your god damned tank, and watched him be clubbed almost to death by 'Holly the Happy Whore.'_

I couldn't interfere! I can't...

_Like you didn't interfere with the god? You have enough telepathic energy to posses a god, but you can't stop one woman from attacking your friend? You couldn't even save your FATHER_.

He trusted me. He let me stay here, he wanted me to be head of the bureau, but I couldn't even complete my one mission. One thing, I couldn't do it. I couldn't even save his life. I stood by and watched while he was murdered, a few meters directly above me. He trusted me and I failed him.

Taking a slow shaky breath, I open my laptop and begin to type a letter.

_Mr. Manning._

_I feel obliged to inform you that I will not be taking up leadership of the BPRD. I hope you find another, more suitable candidate for the position. _

_Sincerely, _

_Abe Sapien._

Curt and to the point. Not very polite, but why do I care? It doesn't really matter. I fall asleep, having trouble breathing. My own stupid fault: what did I expect, straining my telepathy like that? I'm not strong enough for that.

I hear the nurse's thoughts. I've prolonged my stay in life support. I'm going to be here for at least the next two weeks. Probably longer.

The next few days pass in a blur.

Liz walks in and smiles at me. I don't have the energy to greet her, I only nod slightly. Looking at her, I feel almost sick with guilt. I almost killed her, because someone hit me with a little ball of power, that wouldn't have been enough to shake me, usually. I wasn't expecting a physical assault. I never do. Not then, not in the office, not in the cistern. Hellboy fights a monster, and goes golfing the next day. I fight the god's servant's DOG, for Christ's sake, and I'm stuck in a life support system.

I kept my promise to Rasputin, though. I did kill him, after all.

Speaking of Rasputin, I look up at Liz, grinning, and reach over for my keyboard. I turn on 'Windows, Media Player' and select the song I've titled 'Going down in History'

_Ra-Ra-Rasputin lover of the Russian queen_

_La de da de da_

_Ra-Ra-Rasputin Russia's famous love machine..._

Liz is laughing so hard tears are streaming down her face. She's over reacting, of course, but she's had a shock. Having your soul ripped from your body is a difficult experience. I know, I had that accident with the lawn mower... just joking.

I smirk, and ask her quietly

"So, how has Hellboy been?"

She blushes a lovely pink, and I laugh.

She swallows, and valiantly tries to change to topic.

The conversation dies pretty quickly. Liz doesn't remember a thing about our little out of body experience. It isn't surprising, really. Memory is kept in the mind, which is part of the body, not in the soul.

I remember everything. Maybe all I do is use my memory. Maybe I don't have a soul. I don't know. I don't think about it. It hurts too much.

Liz leaves, planning to spend some more time with Hellboy. Myers walks by, leaning in to check on me, and I keep my eyes closed, pretending to sleep. He's looking for a supportive shoulder, after Liz and Hellboy made their feelings public, and I don't have the energy right now.

With my eyes already shut, I fall asleep quickly.

The next few days pass in a blur. The pain in my chest is so strong, I finally consent to the administration of painkiller drugs. A nurse arrives every five or so hours.

She pulls open a glove box, takes my arm in her hand, and injects the drug directly into a vein on my arm. I barely notice. Painkillers have strange effects on my system, no matter how small a dosage I receive, I invariably become drowsy and sluggish.

Professor Broom believes... believed it was an after effect of the long spurts of testing, followed by painkillers, and a few nights or so of being left alone, to recuperate. My body has trained itself to go into a form of hibernation. I don't know. Whenever it happens, I never think about it. I never think about much, actually; another darker reason that painkillers don't seem like such a terrible ideas. I have persuasive demons.

Finally after five days of this, the stop the dosage, and later that day, I have a most unpleasant visitor.


	6. 6 Replacement

**Chapter 6**

**Replacement**

A man walks into my room. He paces up and down in front of me. He's waiting for something.

He's waiting for me, I realize with a start. He doesn't realize that this 'Abraham Sapien' he's supposed to meet here isn't strictly speaking, human.

"Hello"

The man jumps a foot, and looks over at me. I reach sideways and pull my little rubix cube out of its slot.

"Are you the new director?"

The man glares at me, and puffs noisily at his cigar. Why is it that I am surrounded by smokers? Tobacco is disgusting.

"Are you the new director?"

I repeat the question politely, as though he hadn't heard me.

"I am Mr. Disey, yes. And you are... ?"

"Abraham Sapien"

His eyes widen. I catch his thought floating towards me

_This monster is who I'm supposed to have as my second in command? Holy..._

I have had enough.

"Yes, I'm you're 'Monster Second in Command,' I'm basically here to provide you a link to the other monsters you'll be working with. I also make sure none of them eat you, and they know not to destroy your things, although that hasn't been a problem for a few years, Dalton Disey..."

I bring my hand up to the glass, and begin reading him, ignoring his obvious panic.

"Dalton Disey, born in Greenwich, England, moved to the United States twenty years ago, divorced with two children..."

I continue on, until the man finally runs from the room.

I hope he stays out.

In a little less than an hour later Hellboy storms in.

"What did you do, Abe?"

"Hmm. Depends."

"Damn it, Blue. You're in it deep. You're being replaced."

What? I've been what?

Oh, I didn't say that out loud.

"What?"

Why does my voice sound so weak?

"The new director wants you out. He's pressing charges if invasion of privacy."

Why can't I understand what he's saying?

"What?"

"Abe, you're going to be fired!"

I shake my head, expelling a stream of bubbles. Where will I go? Am I going to leave the bureau? What's going to happen to me?

Don't worry, it'll be fine.

A disembodied voice, with a slight Scottish accent floats into my head. No, it's not going to be fine. They're going to kick me out of the bureau.

What bureau?

What do you mean what bureau?!? My Irish Lady Sean Connery is vaguely confused.

I mean what bureau. I don't know any bureaus. I've never met another telepath before.

Hellboy leaves the room, leaving me floating in shock.

What's wrong, anyways?

They want to kick me out of my home, because I did a reading of someone who was uncomfortable with it.

That wasn't a nice thing to do.

He wasn't a nice person. He thought I was some sort of pet.

Oh. I know that feeling. Are you sure you didn't over react.

I know that fit was fifty percent the drugs in my system, but I just don't care. It felt good to actually do something for once. And if I had to make the same choice, I'd do it again.

Would you really?

Yes. I think I would.

Good. Then don't let yourself feel sorry. Now, why were you so sad earlier?

You felt that?

I did, but only as emotions. You woke me up, I was crying so hard. But it took me a while to contact you, I could only sense where you are when you broadcast a particularly strong emotion.

My sadness earlier, this disembodied voice could only be talking about my feelings about father. My father, who I betrayed. Who I let down, and who I let die, who Rasputin murdered that night in the library.

Oh. I'm sorry. I never had a father.

She heard that? Of course, she's getting my thoughts. I didn't have a father either, not until Professor Broom adopted me. And he didn't even know how much I cared about him. Who was killed, taken away from us because he trusted me?


	7. 7 Friend

**Chapter 7**

**Friend**

Snap out of it. You're being really stupid.

_What? Who is this girl? She's crazy._

Am not, well, only a little. This guy is sort of rude. And he's wallowing in self pity, when from the sounds of things, there's nothing he could have done to control it.

_Of course I could have controlled it._

How?

_I could have... I could have... been there in the library._ Not true. Life support...

See? You're proving yourself wrong.

_If I hadn't gotten caught I could not have been in life support! _

But how could you possibly control that? And what does this guy mean by caught?

_I mean..._

Just show me.

_The hellhound grabs at me, and slashes my shoulder. I swim as fast as I can, away towards the crevasse. A voice gasps in shock, and someone swims in after me. It's someone tinted green from the murky water, and I can't see much, before they grab my wrist and jerk me out of my memory._

Reliving that memory hurt like hell. My chest stings again, of course, but I don't miss the drug induced haze.

So you've been taking painkillers? That explains the silence. I thought you'd been killed, or had gone catatonic or something. Scary. I missed the idea of having someone like me.

_You were worried about me?_

You weren't supposed to hear that thought.

Silence.

Silence.

_Are you still there, Lady Connery?_

Yes, I am. I still don't know this guys name. Or mine, other than what the others call me.

_My name's Abe. And what do the others call you._

I don't want to tell you. I'm not going to let him know its Guppy, that's insulting, and I don't want to be teased about it.

_Sorry, I heard that. And I get called fish stick, so I wouldn't tease you_.

Thank you. I like this man.

_I like you too, lady Connery._

Crap. He heard that. This telepathy stuff is too hard.

_I agree. Was I supposed to hear that? And who are you?_

I have to go... Oh no!

And with that the comforting presence in the room is gone. And I am alone again.

But I feel better than I did before. Even though nothing has happened.

**Chapter 8**

**Second Chances**

I really didn't need to worry about being replaced. As usual Hellboy totally over reacted. I had a marvelous time listening to the tapes of Disey afterwards.

Disey- I'd like to file for a court martial

Manning- what the hell? Disey, what shit are you pulling now?

Disey- I just want a court martial, Manning, get it.

Manning- Against whom? What charges?

Disey- Against that animal, for invasion of privacy.

Manning- you can't court martial Hellboy, he's not going to listen

(A fond chuckle ensues, that makes me wonder when he and Hellboy became such friends)

Disey- who the hell is Hellboy? I'm talking about the fish dude.

It all goes downhill from there. In the space of a few minutes, Dicey has been threatened with several court martial's himself, death, demotion and castration.

The hollered 'and don't come back was cut off by the slamming of a door, and the click of the recorder being turned off.

I decide to try and reach Lady Connery. Who is she? What is she, to be such a strong telepath? Why have I never met her before?

I can't find her. I search, and I search for what seems like a few minutes.

I'm interrupted by the nurses brining me supper, and scolding me for not touching the lunch they left while I was sleeping.

She's gone. I've lost her.

I don't know where she is.

I keep my mind away from my missing friend for the next few days, by swamping myself with work. Disey is still the head, but is neglecting his duties painfully. And I think I have the equivalent of a restraining order.

The biggest thing that's supposed to happen is tomorrow the group of St. Trinian's rescue-ees arrives. I'm organizing their quarters right now.

I look over the scant information I have.

Two males and two females

One werewolf

Two shape shifters

One telekinetic with possible pyro-kinetic abilities

Running between the ages of 5 and 60

The quarters of the werewolf have to be double checked for any silver. The door is reinforced, of course, and the full moon isn't for another few weeks.

The shape shifters are fairly simple. Regular quarters, on either side of the werewolf, standard issue, the same as the pyro-kinetic, except the furniture in this room are the castoffs of my own telepathic stage; the exact same, but shatterproof, and very ductile. We have a shelf of books we can give to the five year old, which will be relocated to his/her room as soon as we find out who they are.

It is difficult; to take into account factors we know nothing about.

I stand and stretch, and rub my chest. The scars had stretched, and I twist my torso, wincing.

I walk through the halls, dressed, as usual, in loose black pants, with no shoes. I've yet to find any that fit my flipper feet.

Liz is where I knew she would be. She sits up, puts her book down on the coffee table next to the sofa of her living room. Hellboy is in the back room, shaving his horns.

"Liz, I need a favor."

She smiles, and waves over to the deep blue chair I always use. I sit, and fold my legs neatly underneath me. I've always felt more comfortable cross legged.

"So how are things going upstairs?" She gets up and brings me a cup of coffee. It is one of the few human foods I enjoy. The some of the others are chocolate, black licorice, fish, turkey salad, mint and celery.

I smile and take the cup. I sip carefully, using my powers to cool it down from a scalding level.

Liz feels the energy use and grins. I nod once, and reflect again how well she's coming forwards. I've been teaching her self control for the past week, and her power level is already light orange. She can generate heat, and fire comes easily, she no longer explodes, and her self confidence has sky rocketed. She smiles more often, and will wear colours. Hellboy has bought her several shirts which suit her beautifully.

Today, her ice blue turtleneck has the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, and her black skirt has a deep blue scarf looped through the belt loops. I send her a quick telepathic message.

_We're dressed to match_

This is a test of sorts for her. She has to answer me. It'll improve her control, and widen her skill range.

_Now all I need is a pair of blue sunglasses and we could be twins._

Her voice is slightly quiet, but it's obviously audible. I nod again, and get back to the topic at hand.

"Liz, you know the group coming tomorrow?"

She nods once.

"They've got a kinetic among them. From the sound of things, this person is untrained. I'll be doing to movement training, but they've also shown possibly sparks."

Liz's eyes widen.

"And they're out of control?"

I nod. "I think so. I don't know what colour they are, though. And I can't deal with pyro-kinesis. I know next to nothing about it, and fire and water don't mix all that well. They'll need some help. Don't answer now, call me back later."

I nod my thanks, and I can tell already that she want to do it. She's easy to read as a book. Her thoughts are right on the surface.

Alright, now that's dealt with. I really feel confident about this. But my Lady Connery is still missing. And I'm worried. But I won't let anyone know that, it's one of my weaknesses.

**Chapter 9**

**New Guests **

I spend the rest of the day trying to arrange for our guests. There's not much to do, so I finally end up reading. My favorite book in the world, half of the pages have rips or folds, the cover is dog eared, and I have practically memorized it.

The story is about a man who was raised on mars who came back to earth. He believed that water was life.

The book ends sadly, and every time I feel the sting again and again.

I used to feel like a stranger in a strange land, but now I have my home.

And tomorrow people are coming to join us in our Freak Nation.

I should sleep.

I wake up in my tank later than I had hoped. I swim lazily to the entrance and step through the first door. I wait for the water to drain around me. I step into the library, skin dripping wet, and sat against the wall of the tank on the tile floor, not wanting to drip on the piles of books I was sorting. When I am dry I go and begin reading again.

I am curled up with my feet dangling over the edge of and armchair

I'm just drifting off to sleep when a group of people walk in.

I watch them quietly, shielding my thoughts.

A man, tall and thin with dusty brown hair, about forty years old, he's the werewolf, I can tell. A woman with red hair, a few years younger than the werewolf, hanging on his arm, they're lovers, and they'll want to share quarters.

A surly teenager glares around. He looks like he's walking on nails, he's a shape shifter and I pick up strong thoughts from him.

_Another place where normal people claim to want to help us, but actually use us, I'm getting out of here as quickly as I can._

So I'm a normal person, am I? Hah, bloody unlikely.

A five year old girl is there, who wears only dark colours, and looks like she's folded in on herself, my eyes widen. She's a blue power, but has no control.

I stand, and step out from behind the bookcase.

"Welcome to the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense"

The werewolf jumps. I don't read any of their minds, because I want them to be as at ease as possible, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that telepathy can be disconcerting.

The werewolf seems to be the leader.

"My name is Abraham Sapien; I'm the part of the bureau."

The onslaughts of thoughts at this are interesting.

The werewolf is confused, the older shape shifter is scared of me, the younger is beginning to think of the Bureau as more than just an organization out to get him.

The five year old thinks I look like Guppy.

GUPPY! She's met Lady Connery.

The werewolf introduces himself.

"I'm Christopher Dale. This is Arabelle Sanders, her son Andrew, and Hazel Ire."

"Pleased to meet you, I'll show you to your rooms now. Supper will be in an hour. If you could tell me your meal choices now, we can meet in the library to eat, and I'll give you a quick explanation of the Bureau."

They nod, and I start the walk down the hall.

We come to the shape shifter boy's room first. I give it to the boy, Andrew. He nods his thanks, and walks in, closing and locking the door after him. His mother gives me a quick glance to see if I'm offended, but I just smile and shake my head, and she is reassured. We next come to the little girl's room.

I turn to her.

"Hazel, this is your room."

I open the door, and she looks in and sees the telekinetic proof furniture. She narrows her eyes at me, and her glare seems to say 'You don't trust me.'

"The furniture is the same stuff I used when I first found I was telekinetic, and I experimented and vented anger on it for a straight week, so basically anything that can be broken has been. Feel free to experiment, and don't worry about shattering anything. I smile. "My favorite thing to do was tie the chair legs in knots; I eventually got to the point where I could tie a bow. You'll have to tell me what you can do."

She is reassured, and she walks into her room. She doesn't smile, but I didn't expect her to.

Arabelle is next to her, and I quickly show her the door that attaches the two rooms. "In case she needs help" Arabelle smiles gratefully, and I make my way back to Hazel's room, to ask her some questions.


	8. 8 Somehow

**Chapter 10**

**Asking Around**

"Hazel, I have a few quick questions to ask, if that's alright with you."

The girl nods once, and opens her door. I walk into the room and perch on a chair.

"When you first saw me, you almost recognized me."

She nods again, still not speaking.

"You thought I looked like Guppy"

Her eyes go wide with fear and her mind closes up.

"Where is Guppy now?"

The girl shakes her head.

"Gone" it comes out, almost inaudible.

"Gone where?"

"The bad people took her"

The bad people? Oh gods, please let her not mean...

"Which bad people are you talking about, Hazel?"

"The bad people from the hospital did. We all got away, but they caught Guppy again."

She's been re captured by Trinian's. Hazel continues.

"She was a lot like you. Same eyes. Same stripes. But she was smaller. She had a long name, but I can't say it."

"Try for me, please. It may be important to finding her."

The little girl screwed up her face and thought.

"Icky's Apron"

Could she mean?

"Icthyo Sapien?"

"Yeah. Tha's right."

_A flash hits me. I'm in life support and Professor Broom sits before me, the night of his death. "... These various genetic experiments will come to stay at the bureau. Among them is another Icthyo Sapiens. I was wondering if you would consent to share your tank while the bureau works on the construction of separate quarters."_

"Thank you Hazel. I'll see you later. You have fun with the furniture now, alright?"

"Yeah Mister Sapien"

"Call me Abe, please. I'm not... well I don't feel that old."

Next, I decide to speak with Christopher, to find a clearer point of view.

"Yeah. I know Guppy Gal. She got recaptured about a week ago."

"How?"

He shook his head, once.

"Stupid thing went out, said she couldn't stand to be inside one minute longer."

I caught his stray thought 'Probably shouldn't have called her all those things I did, least of all in front of Andrew.' But decided it wasn't worth it right now. Lady Connery was in trouble.

"Well, she never came back. And the Trinian's people got off our tail. It wasn't us they wanted, you see."

He leaned in, and I fought the urge to lean back, trying not to like my dislike for this man show.

"She was their special one. They used to say she was the ideal. And they called her the second. I reckon, now I've met the first."

I nod once and stand.

"So you have. Do you have any idea where this place may be?"

He shakes his head, but I get the location loud and clear from his mind.

"Thank you, that was very helpful"

And I leave him to wonder how much of that was sarcasm, and how much was the truth. I have to stop this. I'm making enemies faster and faster.

Well... Hazel and Andrew like me. That's something.

So Lady Connery, who is most likely the Marina I saw from that vision, has been recaptured by Trinian's, and is being held at the old base. And I'm going to find her.

_I see an Icthyo Sapien, in a tank not much larger than she is. The water is deep blue with blood. She's shaking and her gills are struggling. And in my vision she blurs around the edges. She's fading fast. I need to save her, or she'll die._

Somehow, I won't let this one slip through my fingers.

Somehow, I'll rescue her.

Somehow.


End file.
